1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to fishing line sinkers, and more particularly to improvements in sinkers for their selective attachment to a fishing line.
2. DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Sinkers have been used extensively to bring fishing lines of the sea bottom. Most frequently, sinkers in the prior art take the form of a lead weight which is tied or fixed to the line in proximity with the fish hook. In consequence, the sinker often engages the subsurface growth and bottom debris and is often lost with the fishing line.
To reduce the incidence of fouling and the loss of fishing line, generally smoothed sinkers have been devised which engage the line directly. Examples of such prior art sinkers are set out in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,808,728 to Ratte, Jr.; 2,570,293 to Vadmais; 3,096,599 to Baron; 4,691,468 to Fernbach; 3,043,044 to Metzler; and 2,772,509 to Vadmais. Additionally, means for selective engagement of floats to a fishing line are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,578,874 to Zaikoski; and 3,867,783 to Simpson. A further teaching of a fishing sinker is found in the lapsed Australia Application 236,996 to Powers.
Each of the foregoing, while suitable for the purposes intended, either secures by friction the sinker or float on the line or extends various structures which may be dislodged by underwater growth.
A sinker that is conveniently engaged for sliding translation along the fishing line is therefore extensively sought and it is one such sinker that is disclosed herein.